John Maynard

Welcome to "Bowhunting The West" and the name says it all. I'll be putting special emphasis on mule deer and elk hunting and focusing on Utah and Colorado. Not that there aren't other good, and maybe even better states, but I've hunted all over these two states and want my information to be as accurate as possible. I've helped a lot of hunters get started on their first mule deer or elk hunt, and most have been successful. I am not a professional guide, but I do enjoy helping others. With  some help along the way, I know you can be successful out West, too.

Thanks to all of you for reading this column and for your responses. I'll answer all your questions as they come to me. Last week we discussed the basic fact that if you want to hunt quality animals, you have to hunt in quality areas. I gave you a list of what I consider to be some quality areas in Colorado and Utah for elk and mule deer.

In case you don't remember them, here they are again:

• Colorado elk: Areas 61, 10, and 201.
• Colorado mule deer: Areas 61 and 10.
• Utah elk: Units 11, 16, 17, and 28.
• Utah mule deer: Units 52 and 36.

Now, the question is, why did I choose those specific areas among all the prime elk and mule deer county in these two states? Was it by chance? By experience? By talking to other people? Or I just wanted to keep you out of my "secret" area? Well, it was all of those things, and more, except for the last one. Picking an area for your important hunt out West involves some study and homework on your part, and I can help you shorten that process. But this week I want to discuss what to look for in choosing a hunting spot with a chance at trophy animals.

When searching for a hunting spot you want to look at a number of factors which will not only give you the best chance for the animal your after, but also a spot that suits your individual needs.

Here's the things I look for (or ask a division of wildlife officer) when I am searching for an area to hunt:

1. What is the buck:doe/bull:cow ratio in the area?
2. What is the elevation and terrain of this area. How rugged is the country?
3. What is the hunting pressure in the area?
4. What kind of access is there to the area?
5. How much land is public land?
6. One of the last things I look at is hunter success. (I'll tell you why later.)

Bull:cow/buck:doe ratios: This is one of the first things to look at. Most fish and game departments have these figures available if you call them. If you have a ratio of 1 bull per 100 cows, your chances of having a successful hunt are poor no matter how hard you hunt. Generally the higher the ratio, the better the hunting, and the bigger the bucks/bulls will be in that area. Take area 10 in Colorado for example -- the bull cow ration there is 36:100 with an average of 60 calves per 100 cows surviving per year. That's a good ratio. Units that are managed for quality hunting will usually have at least a 20:100 ratio. But the ratio can also fool you. Be sure you check out what percentage of those bucks/bulls are mature animals.

Elevation: This is important, especially to hunters who are not used to rarefied air. Don't pick an area that you don't think you can handle. But on the other hand don't pick an area so low that it's only winter range. Don't over extend the limits of your physical conditioning. (I'll talk about physical conditioning in a later column.)

Hunter Access: This is very important. How many roads traverse the area. You don't want to have to walk five miles with full packs into an area and then get a bull out unless you're in better shape than I am. But again, the more access, usually the more hunters.

Hunting Pressure: Of course, the less pressure the better. Areas that have high hunting pressure tend to have spookier animals and, in the case of elk it gives them "lock-jaw." They don't like to bugle because they know that hunters come a runnin' when they do. There's nothing harder to hunt then elk that are not bugling.

Public Land Percentage: Watch out for this. If there is a lot of private land you may have a very tough hunt unless you have permission to hunt the private land. Getting permission out West is not like out East. Landowners sometimes require very high fees to hunt their land and often they are also in the guiding business. If you want to go this route, ask a local conservation officer for the names of private landowners and call them to get their rates. I like to see at least 70% public land in the area I am going to hunt.

Hunter Success: This can be misleading and that's why you don't want to use it as a main factor in deciding where to hunt. One unit in Colorado boasts a 60% success, but the fact is there were only nine hunters in the unit. It's unit 10, one of the prime draw areas I mentioned. But sometimes there can be a low success ratio in an area that will produce excellent success if you are a good hunter, willing to expend some effort. That's because out West, like anywhere else, there are a lot of "road hunters" or hunters who never get more than 1/4 mile off the road.

Well, how do you find out this information? Call the division of wildlife in the state. Ask for the I&E (that's information and education) officer. It's his/her job to point you in the right direction. They can also get you the names and phone numbers of biologists and game wardens in the area you plan to hunt. You can also e-mail me and I'll get you started out on the right foot. I have this kind of information for every area in Colorado and many in Utah.

You'll be surprised at how many people are willing to help out.

You may also want to plan your summer vacation to the area you plan to hunt and do some advance scouting. Talk to local people, pick their brains. You'll be surprised at how many people are willing to help out. A sporting goods store in a neighboring town can also be helpful source of information.

You will need to fill these out in January in Utah and April in Colorado

In the meantime, if you haven't already done so, write to the state game and fish departments and request that your name be put on the mailing list for 1999 applications. You will need to fill these out in January in Utah and April in Colorado if you want a chance to hunt in a premier area. And even if you don't plan to hunt in 1999, mail in to Colorado anyway and start getting preference points racked up for the GREAT areas three or four years down the road. The addresses of these departments are:

• UTAH: Utah division of Wildlife, 1594 West North Temple, Suite 2110/Box 146301, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-6301. Phone (801) 538-4700.
• COLORADO: Colorado Division of Wildlife, 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216. Phone (303) 297-1192.

Column 2:Prime Hunting Units & Regions In Colorado & Utah
I've been discussing where to go for trophy animals and how to find those trophy areas. But what if you don't want to take all the time to apply for applications and wait a few years to get drawn for a trophy area? You just want to take a good elk or deer hunting trip with a chance at a animal. Where do you begin?

Well, if it's elk you're looking for, Colorado has the largest elk population of any state. The fees for non-resident hunters are also one of the least expensive. License prices are $250 for a non-resident elk license. $150 for a deer license. There is also a 25c charge for statewide search and rescue and a $3.00 application free for all applications in Colorado. If you aren't drawn, your license money is refunded to you with the exception of the $3.25. Colorado knows they have a good thing going with over a quarter-million hunters coming into their state and dropping dollars. As other states raise their fees and Colorado's elk numbers continue to grow, so will the number of hunters. That's good news for Colorado's economy.

Colorado's deer herd is droppng as it is all over the West. But Colorado still has good deer populations in the extreme northwest and north-central areas and on the eastern plains. Beginning in 1999 all deer licenses will be on a drawing basis. there will be no over-the-counter deer licenses available. Archery elk and deer seasons run concurrent throughout the month of September.

Utah, one the other hand, has the two most premier mule deer hunting areas in the world. The Paunsaugunt and Elk Ridge. But there are growing numbers of mule deer statewide. After a huge downturn in deer pupulations in the early 90's, Utah has spent a lot of time and effort bringing their mule herds back. State game officials are working hard to get a good buck to doe ratio statewide with a good pupulation of mature animals. Things are looking up for the deer herd in Utah. It may be one of your best bets.

Utah's elk population is growing, too. There's a good chance for non-residents to draw out in some of these areas and have a good chance at a trophy animal. Utah is only going to get better for mature bulls in the future by making a lot of the state spike-only with a few select licenses for "any bull" on a drawing basis.

I talked with "Joe in IL" on the "Live Chat" the other night and he said, "John, bottom line, are there places where I can come out to Colorado or Utah and just have a good hunt with a chance at an animal." My answer was "sure there are." It may not be a huge 6x6 elk or 4x4 mulie, but the chance to hunt in some of the most beautiful country in the world is woth a lot in itself.

Now, let's look at some of the better over-the-counter license areas.

Beginning with Colorado:

• For elk in the southwestern part of the state backcountry hunters (those who want to really strike out with their packs on the backs) can find good success in units 53, 54, 55, and 551. Good opportunites also exsist in units 80 and 81.
• Those who prefer to drive to a spot and set up camp should consider units 52, 62, 65, 70, 71, 73, 521, and 711.
• For applying for deer in southwestern Colorado you should consider units 52, 53, 54, 55, 62, 63, 64, 65, 70, 73, 521, 711, and 741. All of these units have good access with the exception of 741 which has quite a bit of private land.
• For elk in northwestern Colorado take a look at areas 11, 211, 13, 231, 26, 25, 34, 35, and 444.
• For mule deer in northwestern Colorado, look at the same areas as for elk.

• For mule deer I would look at the northern region. The mulies are beginning to make an excellent comeback, and next year the hunting should be terriffic if they don't get major storms this winter.
• For Utah elk, well, unless you want to shoot spikes or get drawn for one for a mature elk license. I wouldn't put Utah at the top of my list for elk hunting.
• If you want information on any of the areas I have mentioned, e-mail me through this column. I try to answer every e-mail I get.

Column 3: Psysical Conditioning
I've seen it happen time and time again! People come to the high mountain states to hunt and the trip they have planned for years goes bust because of "altitude sickness." All the planning, all the effort, all the money spent and the trip is down the drain as hunters lie in bed with stomach aches, no appetite, and nausea. And what makes it even sadder is that it is so easily preventable. So, in this column, I want to take some space to tell you how you can avoid such a predicament and make your hunting trip out west even more enjoyable.

How many of you have taken the whole family, packed up the trusty station wagon with all your gear, and headed west? About 10 miles west of Denver, going over Loveland Pass, the car suddenly loses power, lurches to a stop and dies. Water is spewing out of the radior, or the fuel line is vapor locked and no gas will get to the engine. Every time I go over Loveland Pass, on my way to Denver, I see the same thing happen time after time in the summer months. Vehicles are stopped along the Interstate with anxious owners peering under the hoods.

The reason for these breakdowns is simple. You car wasn't property tuned and prepared for such an altitude change and such a heavy workload. You also weren't feeding the car the right gas mixture, so it broke down. It's the same way with your bodies. You can be in great physical shape, but if your body isn't tuned to the higher altitudes, you overwork it, or don't feed it the right mixture, it will stop functioning properly and you'll be lying in hunting camp in misery.

So what's the answer? It's so simple. Don't overdo yourself the first day or two in hunting camp. In fact, my advice is to spend the first day in camp taking very short walks, exploring around camp, doing some target practice, and in general just lounging around. Feed your body, for the first day or two, meals that have high carbohydrates and hold down on the fats. Extend your trip one or two days in order to spend that time getting accustomed to the altitude change.

But here's the usual scenario: You arrive in camp. Hurriedly you set up your gear, eat a high fat meal or snack, then grab your bow and head out to some area high above camp trying to beat sundown so you can spot something for the next full day of hunting. When you arrive back in camp that night, you are exhausted, food doesn't sound good, and before you know it you have a terrible headache and feel nauseous. The next morning things aren't much better.

So here's some tips on how to keep your body in great shape while hunting out west.

Altitude headaches are common, even for those who live out in the higher altitudes. Here's a tip that I find works every time. Carry a roll of "Tums" or "Rolaids." I know this sounds strange, but eat about half a roll and your headache will go away. It works as fast as aspirin and it won't upset your stomach as aspirin often will.

Eat sensible foods. Don't alter your diet drastically from the foods you normally eat at home. Camp tends to be a place where you might over indulge in eggs, bacon, sausage meats, alcoholic drinks, fatty beef sticks, cheese, potato chips and other greasy foods. Guys, I know you love those things, but remember what your mothers and wives told you: "EAT YOUR VEGETABLES!" Rather than chowing down on some potato chips, beef sticks and a beer, eat a celery stick or a carrot. Rather than fatty bacon or sausage, get some turkey ham and fry it in a non-fat cooking spray for your breakfast meat. In other words, keep your fat intake to the minimum, at least the first two or three days, and you will have more energy and feel better.

Take it easy the first few days. Don't try to climb that highest ridge the first day out. Do all things in moderation. Move slow. Rest often. You'll be surprised at how suddenly that ridge it took you 10 stops to climb two days ago you can now do in five short stops.

Get yourself in the best physical shape possible before coming out west. I know, I'm talking about that dirty word "EXERCISE!" But you can have fun getting exercise without the gym, the machines, the daily regime. Here's the best way to get in shape:

• Put a pack on your back. Put 10 pounds of rocks in the pack. Grab your bow and go out stump shooting near your home. Maybe scout your favorite deer hunting area. Locate a new place for a stand. Discover new bedding areas. Do this about three times a week if possible.
• A week or two later put 20 pounds of rocks in that pack and do the same thing.
• Then 30, and finally 40 pounds. After walking with 40 pounds on your back for a mile three days a week for a few weeks, you'll be in good shape for your trip out west.

If you follow these tips, I guarantee that you'll have a great time on your trip out west without any altitude sickness. Next time we'll discuss a new idea on hunting in the west, hunting wildllife ranching areas and we'll have a surprise columnists. In the meantime, my e-mail server was down from Monday, December 23rd on. My ISP had to erase my whole file in order to get it up and going again. So if you have sent me e-mail in the last few days, send it again. Thank you and sorry for the problems. Good hunting and God Bless, John.

Column 4: the "Colorado Ranching For Wildlife" Program

Utah Big Game Proclamations are now available and must be in by January 31. If you haven't sent for one and want to hunt Utah this year your application must be in by January 31st. It's late enough now that if you want it on time you better call. The phone number is (801) 538-4700. Ask them to send you a proclamation and application right away.

Now, on to this week's subject: the "Colorado Ranching For Wildlife" program

I noticed an item on the "Colorado Ranching For Wildlife" program in the "Clubhouse" a few weeks ago. One of the people who answered that post was Steve Greiner. Steve is a very knowledgeable Colorado hunter. He has lived in the state since 1979 and knows his way around. He has hunted deer and elk in Colorado for 15 years, the last three with bow and arrow.

I had not had any experience with the "Ranching For Wildlife" program in Colorado (although a similar program exists in Utah called "PHU's), so I asked Steve to contribute to my column for this week.

Steve Grenier’s information is as follows:

Around 1990 the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) started a program called "Ranching For Wildlife." The concept of the program was to let landowners who have decent sized properties with decent numbers of animals participate in the management of the wildlife on their own property. These ranches are not fenced in "game ranches," as the name somewhat implies, but rather open property with free ranging animals. "Ranching for Wildlife" properties in Colorado are currently available for turkey, bear, antelope, deer, and elk. Many of the properties offer more than one species.

Under the guidance of the DOW, the landowners determine the number of tags to be issued on their property each year. For their participation in the program, the DOW allows the landowner to receive 90% of these tags free of charge. The landowner can do with these tags whatever they wish. But at least 10% of the tags must go to the public through an annual application and drawing process. The landowner may keep his share of the tags, give them away, or sell them to private parties or outfitters. License fees and preference points are needed just as with any other application. (See the first column on what "preference points" are and how they work.)

The landowner is allowed to set their own season dates. The total number of days must be no less than the number of days allowed for the general season for that species. The landowner is also allowed to set split seasons.

All "Ranching For Wildlife" tags are issued as "rifle" tags. However the hunter can use any weapon that is legal for that species. Antler point restrictions do not apply to bucks or bulls taken on wildlife ranches, even if the property is located in a unit which has antler point restrictions. Some tags are even offered as "either sex."

Tags are issued with the ranch as a huntable unit, however the landowner is still free to set the boundaries of the hunt within his own property. You may not hunt outside the borders set by the landowner, even if the landowner owns additional property or the area borders National Forest or BLM lands.

The landowner is also free to set their own restrictions concern camping, access, or amenities available on their property. Most ranches do not allow any pre-hunt scouting.

I have hunted on four different wildlife ranches on eight separate hunts. The follow are my personal experiences on how each different landowner/rancher manages their own property and hunts.

The Geesen Ranch
This was my first experience with the "Ranching For Wildlife" program. I had four preference points toward an antelope tag with no place to hunt. I applied for a buck antelope tag on the Geesen Ranch with is located about 15 miles north of Limon, and got it. There was only one buck tag available to the public along with about 30 doe tags. The huntable area was about 10 square miles, with another five square miles of CRP grass set aside for bowhunters. There was a designated camping area next to the ranch house, and Geesen did allow hunters to come in and use the bathroom. About half the ranch was accessible for vehicles. I got a small buck on my last day, and went back to the Geesen ranch the next two years with doe tags and got one each year. I also hunted doe deer there one year and got one. With his share of tags, Geesen gave them away to the handicapped hunters through the "Outdoor Buddies" program and sponsored a one-shot antelope hunt for local celebrities. Unfortunately, the antelope population has declined in the area and Geesen was forced to drop out of the program for the 1996 season.

The Taylor Ranch
I was looking for a place to hunt elk, and so far was having good experiences with the "Ranching For Wildlife" program. I had no elk preference points, so I applied for a cow tag at the Taylor Ranch which is 200 square miles in size and located on the rugged west slope of the Sangre de Cristo's in the San Luis Valley. The Taylor Ranch offered a split elk season. There was a five day season in early September and another five days in November. The first season was too hot and the elk were holding tight in the dark timber. In the second five day season there was six inches of snow on the ground. I shot my cow out of a herd of about 100, after walking by a group of 40 big bulls all within 200 yards. This ranch is definitely a trophy elk area, and I was actually seeing more bulls than cows.

At the time I hunted there was a designated camping area near the ranch house, but I have heard that now they allow you to camp anywhere on the property. You had access to all roads, but most were old logging roads that were in pretty bad shape. The ranch did not allow the use of ATV's or horses. The next year I applied for a bull tag and asked for a cow tag as my second choice. I got the cow tag and took another cow that year.

There are six bull tags and 35 cow tags available through drawing for the Taylor Ranch. The cow tags take 0-1 preference points and the bull tags now take 7 points. The Taylor Ranch gets five cow tags and 60 bull tags for themselves. Last year the ranch was selling bull tags for $6,500 each just for the tag and access rights. However the ranch has been involved in several lawsuits recently and now wants to sell the ranch. It's still not settled.

The Parachute Creek Ranch
After failing to draw out on the Taylor Ranch the third year, I got a left-over cow tag for the Parachute Creek Ranch which is located about 10 miles north of the town of Parachute. The property is actually located on the Natioanl Oil Shale Reserve and owned by a California oil company. There was no camping allowed on the property and the nearest campground was 15 miles away. The property consisted of rounded top mesa's which dropped straight down into canyons. Public hunting was only allowed on the top of the mesa’s, whereas the paid hunters could hunt below them. The ranch and the DOW were trying to get rid of what few elk were in that area to better manage the trophy deer herd. The deer are thick on this property with some very nice bucks. The elk were no where to be found.

The Blue Gravel Ranch
Both my father and I accumulated four preference points for elk and with the Taylor Ranch taking more and more points each year, we decided to try the Blue Gravel Ranch. My father and I applied together as a party and both received "either sex" tags. There are six "either-sex" tags and 20 cow tags available to the public. The ranch also offers tags for deer and antelope, and covers 55,000 acres, although less than 10 percent is huntable for elk.

There was no camping on the property but he let us use an old unused bunkhouse.

The property is relatively low in elevation and it is more of a wintering range for elk instead of an early season area. The ranch was selling elk tags for $3,500. The weather was so hot, we spent five days beating the oak brush without seeing any elk. After five days the Colorado General Elk season opened and we set up to catch some elk coming off the National Forest Service land bordering the ranch. My father got a 4x5 bull. There was one paying hunter at the ranch at the time and he took a 5x6. Because the weather was so hot I helped my dad get his elk off the mountain and we went home. At the time we hunted the property there was no vehicle, ATV, or horse access to the property. We had to hike in off the county roads.

Closing Comments -- Good news and bad news
The majority of the tags available through the "Ranching For Wildlife" program are doe or cow tags. These tags take few if any preference points. The buck/bull tags can take up to 10 preference points.

The success rate for harvesting an animal at a wildlife ranch is much better than the average success for the general rifle or bow seasons. The accessibility, camping opportunities, or other amenities are completely up to the whim of the landowner and there is no way to find out about them before you apply for the hunt(s). The bottom line is that most ranchers are in this program for the money. The public hunters are often treated poorly. The paid hunters get the best areas and the best animals.

This program offers a good chance to harvest a trophy at a reasonable cost for those willing to wait and pile up preference points. And, it offers a much better chance to those who are just hunting for the meat, do not know of any other places to hunt, or just want to get away from the crowds.

The program is not without it's "catches" and "quirks," but for those who are tolerable and willing to work for a successful hunt, this program can offers some great opportunities and memories. If you need more information on these ranches or others, you can e-mail me at sgreiner@ecentral.com.

Thanks! Steve Greiner

Column #5: A New Tactic For Today's Elk

Today's Elk Hunting Is A Whole New Ballgame.

The hunter sent a screaming bugle down the valley, and before the final notes echoed back to him an elk responded up the valley. The hunter ran towards the bull that had sounded off. After getting close, the hunter bugled again. The elk responded immediately. He wasn't far off now. Just a hundred yards or so. Moving cautiously, the hunter moved in the direction of the bull, keeping the wind in his favor. Then he saw movement ahead. He sank to his knees behind a small pine tree and sent another bugle towards the bull. Now he saw him...a huge 6x6 moving his way. The elk had fire in his eyes as he lifted his head to send another bugle into the chilled morning air. The bull moved to within 30 yards of the hunter and started ripping up the ground with his powerful antlers. He bugled again and took another step or two towards the hunter where he demolished a small pine tree with his antlers.

This is the way elk hunting is supposed to be. This is the way you hear it told in the magazines. But this is not the way elk hunting usually happens.

Hunters may have been able to call up bulls that easily several years ago, but with hunters all over the woods bugling at bulls, the elk have wised up. The Bull's have learned two lessons:

1. When you hear another elk bugle, shut up!
2. When you hear another bull bugle, round up your cows and leave the area pronto.

Tree stand hunting for elk! Are you crazy?

That's for whitetails! Yes, it's true, tree stand hunting for elk hasn't really caught on and you read very little about it. The reason why is that most elk archery seasons coincide with the rut and bowhunters are so enthralled with the idea of bugling in big bulls that they seldom try other hunting techniques. But that's changing. Bowhunters are beginning to find out that tree stand hunting for elk can be one of the most effective means for taking a bull. Believe me, I've done it for nine years and it works. Bugling may still work in some areas, as I said, and there's nothing more heart-stopping than calling in a bull with fire in his eyes, but today, hunters must change their tactics to meet the new challenge of bugle shy "silent bulls."

So how do you tree stand hunt for elk? Actually, pretty much the same way you do for whitetails. You want to look for four things:

1. Rutting areas;
2. Wallows;
3. Scrapes; and
4. Active trails.

Wallows: Most elk "bathe" at times during the summer and fall, but only bulls use wallows. Wallows look like big bathtubs of mud. They are usually located in marshy areas or anywhere where water seeps to the surface. Wallows can be found in both dark timber and in open meadows. The ones near meadows are most likely to be used in the evening and early morning while the wallows in dark timber may be used at any time during the day. The bulls use wallows to cool off their "rutting fever." They also use it to make themselves "pretty." The elk will urinate in the wallow and then roll around in it. When they are done they are a muddy mess and will smell really strong. Active wallows will have mud thrown up around them and will really stink like a barnyard.

Scrapes: When making scrapes, bulls rake the ground with their antlers while urinating onto their bellies and necks to perfume themselves. They toss chunks of sod into the air with their antlers and will roll in the mess they have created. Again, the area will reek with the sweet barnyard-like smell. Scrapes are usually found in meadows where elk feed. The bulls do not return to specific scrapes like whitetails do, but since they are most often found in feeding areas, the elk will return to that area as long as they are undisturbed.

Active Trails: You can find these the easiest of all. Even though elk may range widely at times, they generally use the same trails between bedding and feeding areas. This is especially true in the pre-rut period. Alongside active trails you will find rubbed trees and, of course, freshly torn up earth from the walking elk. If you find a trail leading to a waterhole, you're in business. Elk like to drink before bedding down for the day and again before feeding in the evening. And, if the waterhole is being used as a wallow, so much the better.

Tree stands are good at any of these locations. I have several stands set up because, just like hunting whitetails, you can "overuse" a stand. So with several set up I can move from stand to stand as the wind and my "gut-feelings" indicate.

Elk are not used to being hunted from a tree stand and so they seldom look up like whitetails. But that doesn't mean you can be "sloppy" and move around while on the stand. I like to set my stands up about 15 high and have them set within 20 yards of where I expect the animal to present a good quartering away shot.

Distances to various locations should be carefully marked by using a rangefinder once you are on the stand. And be as careful with scent control in getting to and leaving the stand as you would for the wariest whitetail.

Dawn and dusk are the best times to be in your stand. In the morning I like to arrive long before daylight and stay until I am sure the elk have bedded down for the day. Depending on the weather that's usually around 9 to 10 a.m. Later in the day you can move to a waterhole or wallow back in the dark timber. If it's hot, that site will be used all afternoon by the elk. In the evening I like to be in my stand at least two hours before sundown and I stay until it is totally dark. Many times I have had to wait until long after dark if the elk are in the area to make sure I do not spook them leaving the stand.

Should you bugle from a tree stand? There's no pat answer to that question. I've seen it work but I've had better luck being quiet and just letting the elk move in a normal pattern without being especially wary. Sometimes I will softly cow call about every half hour. I did have one really nice bull come in that way. But I think the best policy is to keep quiet on the stand.

If you have any questions about this column or any past ones, don't hesitate to e-mail me. I try to answer every e-mail I get. I may not have all the answers for you, but if I don't, I'll give you the address or phone number of someone who will.

Thanks for reading this column. I hope it helps. Next time we'll discuss other ways of hunting elk.

Good luck and God bless……………………………………..John Maynard

Column #6: Bugling, Cow Calling, Scent Misting, Fighting cows, Cows in Heat, and Elk Decoys

In my last column I wrote about bowhunting using tree stands. The concept is fairly new and it works. But not everyone is cut out to be a "sitter." Most of my elk hunting friends out West cannot sit for more than a half-hour and then they just have to see what is over the next ridge.

So, for people like that, there is a more traditional way of hunting elk and that's what I want to write about in this column of "Bowhunting The West."

Many videos, books, columns in bowhunting magazines, etc. put too much emphasis on bugling. Bugling has it's place in elk hunting, but as I mentioned in my last column elk have become "bugle-shy" and now when they hear a bugle they will round up their cows and head over the next ridge or else they just shut up. So hunters have had to devised new ways to trick the elk.

Cow calling was the next cure-all for the hunter. The thought was sound like a cow that had strayed from the rest and the bull would come running to round her up.

Then there was "scent-misting."That's done by buying some cow-in-heat scent, putting it in a spray bottle with some water and misting the air while you hunt. The thought here was two-fold:

1. the love sick bull would get a good whiff of this cow in heat and come looking for love: and
2. the cow in heat scent would cover up your human scent. Sometimes it works.

Today, the latest rage is decoys. The thought here is that if an elk sees a cow he will be more inclined to come in unafraid. Are any of these products any good? Is there anything that works? The point is, they all work, but they all need to be used with common sense. The best "secret" weapon you have going for you in the "war" with elk is what's between your eyes -- COMMON SENSE! No one product or tactic will work in every situation. You learn by trial and error and using common sense.

There's nothing mysterious about elk hunting. Like deer, elk sense danger through hearing, smell, and sight. They are always cautious. But defeat the senses of hearing, smell, and sight and the elk is yours. With that in mind, let me tell you about a couple of hunts and how I had to use different tactics in different situations.

HUNT #1:From a high vantage point I spotted a huge elk below me with his band of cows. I moved downhill to intercept the bull and his harem. Swirly winds made the stalk too dangerous and I backed off. For two days the wind swirled from every direction. There was no way I was going to move in on those elk without them smelling me. By day three the wind was blowing steadily uphill in the morning. I moved downhill into position and snuck in on the cows. Getting within 30 yards of the cows I didn't see the big guy in sight.

I pulled out my bugle and squealed like a small bull. The cows scattered and the big guy came walking in from over a small rise. He walked in with the attitude he was going to kick some rear and was in no hurry to do it. At 30 yards he turned sideways and walked between two aspen trees. I stopped him with a soft cow call and made the perfect shot. End of hunt! The keys to this hunt were defeating his sense of smell and sneaking in on his harem and sounding like a smaller bull that he could beat up.

HUNT #2: I left camp very early. It was still pitch black outside. I walked the tops of ridges and bugled down into several canyons in the darkness. Finally I got a response from a bull. I moved along the top of the rim until I was above the elk. I never bugled again. I knew what little wind there was would be moving uphill in the morning thermals. I moved down very slowly into the canyon as I waited for daylight. Finally as the first blush of light began to illuminate the forest I caught the smell of elk -- a sweet barnyard like smell. I tested the wind with a small piece of goose down and it confirmed my suspicions that the wind was right. I softly blew on my cow call. No response. I waited. Then I heard the sounds of other cows calling. I blew on my cow call again and waited. This game went on for fully 20 minutes. Suddenly all heck broke loose. There was a crash, and elk bark, and the sound of many hooves crashing through the woods to my side and below me.

A smaller satellite bull had become curious about the cow calls. Thinking that one of the bigger bulls cows had walked away from the rest of the harem, he was looking to steal her away and get in on the rutting action. But cautious as he was, he circled and got upwind of me and caught my scent. If I had been "misting" I might have prevented him from catching my scent. As it was, the stalk was busted, like most of them are.

The point is, everything works at one time or another. You need to have a complete arsenal of calls, misters, maybe decoys, whatever at your fingertips because they can all work in the right situation.

Last year the new cow-in-heat calls got bulls bugling when nothing else would. And one time I called a smaller bull across a meadow but he had to have a visual in order to keep moving in my direction. My visual was beating the branches of a small pine tree with a stick but here a decoy would have worked great.

So when you go elk hunting, don't think that one call or one tactic will be the perfect solution in all situations. There is no such thing as a "magic" call or tactic. Use your common sense. Defeat their smell by always staying upwind. And remember, elk like to come in quiet and circle. Be alert at all times.

Defeat their eyes with good set-ups, good camo, and possibly a decoy. Defeat their ears with good sounding, appropriate calls at the right time without overusing them. Let them search you out. If you do all of these things you will have defeated the elk. Good hunting and God Bless. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John